New Beginnings
by Potterables
Summary: A Dramione fic post-war and post-hogwarts. With a wedding, a punch and a new job.
1. Chapter 1

***Authors note: This is my first fan fiction and all comments are appreciated whether they are good or bad so in future I can improve. Thank you***

Chapter One

The common room was empty and still as Hermione dragged her trunk to the portrait door. She looked back at the place she would always call home. The chairs that she and her best friends had sat in through good times and bad were now empty and Hermione smiled sadly at the whisper of unsaid goodbyes. She was feeling far too nostalgic and sad for a Sunday morning and so, with a few strained grunts, she heaved her trunks out of the door.

Luna and Ginny had helped her move into her lovely new flat and, after the boxes had been hauled up the five flights of stairs, they settled down for a cup of tea and a gossip. After a while the subject of gossip turned to Ron. Hermione always dreaded this subject as the two girls always gave her long apologetic looks whenever his name was mentioned. Everyone had assumed that once the war was over Ron and Hermione would be together forever. And even though that was still a possibility it would only happen after time. Hermione had told him that she needed to remember who she was before hunting Voldemort took over her life. He agreed and they had both gone their separate ways; Hermione to a job in London and Ron to the open legs of any girl who had heard of his adventures with Harry.

Ginny was describing one of Ron's latest conquests when Hermione snapped back into reality.

"Tall, blonde and apparently very flexible." Ginny didn't approve of Hermione and Ron's separation and so always pushed with the stories in order to assess whether Hermione was having second thoughts. The red head always ended her stories with a piercing glare in Hermione's direction and if she looked away she caught Luna giving her the reassuring look. Fed up of the hot stares in her direction, she turned to Ginny and tried to change conversation.

"Talking of tall and blonde, how are Fleur and the new baby? Ginny then started to ramble on about the harrowing adventure of new motherhood. Hermione tried her best to concentrate but all she could think about was how much unpacking she had to do.

When the flat was finished, Hermione thought it looked perfect. It was plain and intelligent like its inhabitant and she loved it. She had managed to find worn out sofa's that were extremely cheap and reminded her of Hogwarts. The kitchen was dated but simple and she had bought wooden chairs and tables from IKEA that she had to fix with magic as the instructions were far too complicated. She had placed the table beneath a large window that looked out onto the street below. To celebrate moving in she opened a bottle of wine and had a glass looking onto the street and started thinking about what she had to do tomorrow. She had noticed when she was walking to her new building that there was a cute little bookshop opposite the flats and so she decided that would be where she would spend most of her afternoons.

Her new job was a columnist at the Daily Prophet. She was unbelievably pleased when she got offered the post and she wasn't surprised when they asked her to write about her time with Harry Potter. She had agreed reluctantly, the happiness she had felt on her job tainted slightly but eventually she decided that she should be thankful they had chosen her at all, even if it was just for stories on her famous friend. She started in two days and although she felt daunted by the prospect of it, she was extremely excited too.

That night she settled into her bed happy in her new home, her new life and her new job. This was the fresh start she had wanted and as she settled down to sleep, Hermione Granger had a big smile on her face.

After filling her fridge with groceries and buying a new shirt, Hermione stopped by to have a peek in the old bookshop. It looked like the library in Beauty and the Beast and even had one of those sliding ladders. She was in heaven. After an hour was wasted in the shop Hermione had become friends with the Mr Steven the old man who owned the shop. He was a kindly old man whose bright eyes still shone with youth despite the hard times he had seen. He told her that he has been alive for both of the wizarding wars and that he had lost his wife during the first war. She had died before they'd been able to have children and so Mr Stevens opened this bookstore and called it Rosaline as that was the name his wife wanted to call their first child. Hermione could relate to the old man and they exchanged both sad and happy memories of those they had lost. She said goodbye to him and walked out onto the street where she walked into a familiar blonde boy whose grey eyes widened at the sight of her.

"Malfoy?" she almost screamed as she took in the sight of the ex-Slytherin wearing muggle clothing.

"Granger!" he said in the same surprised tone as she did.

"Wow… gosh how are you?"

"Fine thanks" his face had shut down into the familiar mask of slight annoyance and she sighed inwardly. For a split second she thought she might have been able to have a half decent conversation with him.

"Well I'm glad." Now trying to hide her interest in the same off hand manner Draco managed. "I take it you've left school?"

"Well yes and no. I'm taking an apprenticeship by Slughorn to take over his position as potions master." Hermione smiled as she noticed his fear and excitement slip through his façade.

"That's great Draco; you'll be very good at that. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go to my home."

"Me too." He agreed and they both started to walk across the road. Once they realised they were headed in the same place they came crashing to a stop outside the entrance.

"I thought you were going back to your place Granger"

"I am"

"So you mean to tell me you live in this block of flats?"

"Yes of course what are you doing walking with me?" the two were so confused that they both tried walking off in a huff. Only as they were going to the same place, it didn't have the same effect.

"Do you live here Malfoy?" Hermione asked her hands on her hips.

"Yes, do you?"

"Of course but I don't believe you do."

"Why would I have keys to a flat I didn't own?" he hissed showing her said keys.

"I want you to prove to me those keys work" he then stood so close to her she could hear his heart pounding in anger. She thought he was going to hit her, kiss me or do both. Instead he gave a mighty huff and stormed into the building shouting, "Fine Granger I'll prove it!"

Draco Malfoy's flat was surprisingly humble. She imagined stone floors like the kind she was lain on for her time at Bellatrix Lestrange's house. But instead of green and black as she had expected she found the flat was decorated in soft browns and cream. Even the kitchen, which was smaller compared to hers, looked worn out instead of polished and cold like the whole of his family. She was taken aback by this discovery and by the time she had thought over her assessment of this blonde boy she had forgotten why she was there in the first place.

"Right. Now I have proved I do in fact live here would you please leave me in peace?"

With a nod of her head she turned around and went up to her flat. That night when she lay in bed her thoughts were not on her new job. Instead her thoughts centred on Draco Malfoy. The boy who she had always hated and, since the war, distrusted. Could this man, who has never been more than a huge arsehole, secretly be a kind hearted soul hidden behind a frosty exterior?

Chapter 2

The Daily Prophet's headquarters was just like any other building in London. Old on the outside, modern on the inside. The editor was a crazy looking lady who had bright orange hair and a weird accent that was a cross between Australian and very posh English. She also had an annoying habit which was that at the end of every sentence she would say "yah yah?" When Hermione first spoke to her she could have sworn the short and slightly stout woman started to stand on her tip toes so that Hermione would be slightly smaller.

"Hi. My name is Darcy Muffle-white yah? You're that girl who is friends with that Potter guy yah?"

"Yah… er I mean yes." Hermione stammered her face going bright red with embarrassment. But apparently Darcy was completely oblivious to anyone other than herself. As she walked Hermione over to a small office on the second floor Hermione was amused to notice that Darcy was walking on her tiptoes looking completely ridiculous in her clashing red and pink suit.

"This will be where you working yah? You know how to use a computer yah? I want you to write about harry Potter yah? All his secrets and little things no one knows about him okay yah?" The giggles Hermione was trying to keep down were rising to the surface and she could only nod instead of risking laughing in the ridiculous woman's face. Darcy Muffle-white stalked off finally returning to her normal height and almost tripping into a messenger boy that had been trying to get her attention.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Hermione stared around her office. It was small with only a computer, desk, chair and small bookcase but that didn't matter as Hermione couldn't see herself having many visitors. She sat down at her desk and opened up a fresh word page. She wrote the headline "Harry Potter: My friend" and then opened up the internet. After checking her emails, checking a muggle newspaper website and just generally procrastinating, she heard a knock at her door. Quitting the website, she got up and opened the door.

Standing outside her office was a young woman no older than twenty five who had stunning black hair. She was definitely a witch but she was one who knew muggle fashion. She stuck her hand out and introduced herself. "Hi. I'm Aisha Kay and I've been here about a year so I know what you're going through. I'm also the music columnist so I thought I could offer some advice." Aisha looked kind and slightly nervous but when Hermione smiled and invited her in the nerves went and was replaced by a confident, funny woman. Aisha showed Hermione the good forums on all wizarding events "Good for pretending to work" and how to get started on the first article.

"What I did when I started my first column was just looking at different albums that I love and listening to songs. Then I just wrote down what came to mind and edited out the nonsensical parts. Then send it to the editor and voila! You have your first article." Hermione thanked Aisha and chatted to her about Aisha's life. She was single and living not too far from Hermione in a little house that suited her fine. Aisha's family were still living in India and so she rarely see's them but she always tries to phone them every week. Her brother has just started Hogwarts and is in Ravenclaw which figures as "He was always reading at home. And then working so hard in school."

Hermione loved hearing about Aisha's family and was sad when Aisha had to leave and Hermione had to start on her first article. She decided to take Aisha's advice and look through some pictures in an album she had saved on her phone. But somehow the pictures just didn't represent who they were. There was a photo at Fleur and Bill's wedding where they all looked so happy but in reality they were on edge the whole time wondering when they were going to leave. She decided to just start at the beginning when they first met and try to remember what had happened.

Eventually after two hours of scouring her brain for memories she had written a fairly decent article that she was happy with. She sent it to both Aisha and The Editor and cleared up her desk.

When she got home she ate her dinner in contentment and after a small glass of wine she remembered she still had to buy a lock and fix it to her bathroom door. She went to the nearest DIY shop and brought what looked like a fairly safe lock the shop assistant was very friendly towards her and it took Hermione a second to realise he was trying to flirt with her. Taken aback and embarrassed she begun to turn beetroot red and started to stutter her words. Eventually the sale was finished and she was able to escape the charming but ultimately too muggle man and get back to her house.

After half an hour of trying to figure out what she was doing wrong, Hermione remembered that she hadn't learnt a spell for fixing screws. She pondered on this new development and then started to look in all of her many books for a simple charm that didn't require any extra help. Eventually she gave up and sat down with a rather big glass of wine. She looked out into the street below and started to remember her father fixing her dolls house when she was little. She used to think him unbreakable and godlike but now she hardly saw him. For a very valid reason her parents had started to fear her. Of course she explained why she had to remove their memories and they agreed it was for the best. But now unfortunately her parents had realised how powerful she could be and what she could do to anyone if she wanted. They would never be able to shake of that wariness and Hermione knew there was nothing she could do. She wished she had as much power as her parents thought she had because then she could make things the way they were before.

A tear rolled down her cheek as she saw the blonde arrogant boy crossing the road. She sat up. Maybe Malfoy had a book about screws and manly things that could fix her problem. She fixed her hair, put on some simple make up and rushed out of the door.

When she got to Draco's apartment she rapped on the door half a dozen times. The door opened and standing there rubbing his eyes stood her only hope for help. His blonde hair was ruffled at the top and had grown so long it hung over his eyes. His grey eyes were blurry which suggested he had had a bit to drink. His eyebrows furrowed in annoyance as he grunted.

"What do you want Granger?"

"Do you know a spell to fix in screws?"

"What?" he said his concentration now on the conversation and not on her chest.

"Do you know how to fix in screws?" she was annoyed at how helpless she seemed but was also intrigued by the fact Draco seemed for once not to view her with disgust.

"Yes of course I know how to fix in a screw. Do you have a screw driver?"

"Ah" I sighed "No. that would probably help right?"

"Yes." He sighed to as he beckoned me too walk into his flat. I obeyed and sat down on one of the worn out chairs by the kitchen. He really seemed to be a totally different person when he wasn't in his Slytherin robes. His skinny jeans clung to his athletic legs and his Blink 182 shirt hung loosely on his broad, muscular shoulders. When he had retrieved the screw driver he slouched out the door and up the stairs. Hermione followed him and smiled as she saw he was already working on the lock. He was finished in about five minutes and she offered him a drink. Surprisingly he accepted and they sat down on separate chairs.

"So this is a nice set out you've got." He smiled almost warmly at her and she was taken aback.

"Yeah, well I like it." She smiled back and there was a silence.

"Look I'm sorry that I always come across grumpy whenever I see but it's just…" he paused running a hand through his hair. "I always feel so ashamed at what my aunt. What my family did to you. I feel as though I should have stopped it but I didn't and i feel so bad so I just wanted to say sorry. It doesn't make everything better I know. But I just feel like I should say it." Shocked by this outburst Hermione sat with her mouth open staring at this poor boy that looked as weak as paper and who genuinely looked pained at what he had just admitted.

"Thank you, Draco for apologising. I thought you just hated me, that I was a Mudblood, worthless." He shook his head standing up and moving to her.

"No not at all. The whole Mudblood thing was just something that I've been around my whole life. You don't how confusing it is being brought up thinking that Mudblood and muggles were beneath you and everyone else. Then imagine how confusing it would be when you meet this amazing, clever girl who changes your world and then you find out she is the thing you've been taught to hate. I didn't know what to do and it seemed like me and Potter were firm enemies, seeing you with him and Weasley made me so angry because… you were supposed to be with me."

They were both standing at this point and Hermione's mind was filled with conflicting emotions between love and hate. She knew tat she should hate him purely on principle. He hated her friend. He fought for the death eaters. He was Draco Malfoy. She was Hermione Granger the one everyone thought would be in love with Ron Weasley but instead here she was, standing so close to a boy she had hardly talked to without an argument. And all she wanted was for him to kiss her and for her to kiss him back.

Instead what happened was she mumbled "Draco. I…" and he said "I get it Hermione. You want Weasley." And with one lingering look into her eyes he walked out of her flat and slammed the door.

Hermione couldn't sleep that night. What had happened? Did Draco Malfoy love her? And the more worrying thing was that she thought she might be in love with him too. She could imagine how angry Harry and Ron would be. The betrayal would be far too great for Hermione to repair. She couldn't just sit on her feelings and not act upon the lust and love she felt for Draco. Now she admitted it she realised she's always found him strangely attractive and the way he knew how to push all her buttons made her want to strangle him. She used to think that it was just his aversion to people like herself with no magical parents but now she thought about it, it was also the way that she wanted him to tease her. Wanted him to poke and prod her and ask all those rude personal questions and the pleasure she got when he moved in too close.

Finally she decided she couldn't take it anymore. She had to have him.

When Draco Malfoy opened the door the last thing he had expected was Hermione Granger standing there, hair ruffled with no make up on half shouting at him.

"I want you" and then grabbing his neck and kissing him so fiercely Draco had no idea what was going on. All he knew was that what he had dreamt about was finally happening, and he wasn't going to let this opportunity pass him by.

Shutting the door with his back he picked up this beautiful woman whose tongue was rudely probing his mouth seemingly wanting to remember every bit about this foreign land. He carried her to the sofa where he laid her down and then looked at her. Her face was flushed, as she looked up at him one eyebrow rose. Then, without thinking, he lay down on her and kissed the girl he had wanted since they had met.

Wow he was a good kisser. Hermione found herself melting into his body until you couldn't discern which leg was whose. All she was aware of was her shirt being torn open and Draco pulling his off over his head. He kissed her neck until she couldn't bear it anymore and sighed. He loved that sensual sigh and it made him chuckle to think he had the power to make her moan like no one else had done before.


	2. Chapter 3

***On the last chapter there was chapter One and Two as I hadn't figured it out yet. Sorry! Again comments of any natur are appreciated thank you* **

Chapter Three

The next morning Hermione woke up and smiled. She rolled over and saw the boy next to her with blonde hair which was ruffled and imperfect. She leant over and kissed him lightly so as not to wake him up. Then, she got up and pulled one of Draco's T-Shirts on and went into the kitchen. She found some eggs and a couple of rashes of bacon and she started to make breakfast. She had learnt how to cook from Mrs Weasley and she was looking forward to seeing Draco eating this when he can't have possibly experienced the secret ingredients she learnt from Molly. After she had placed them onto a plate she went and made her own. As her bacon was sizzling Draco walked out of his room with only his boxers on. She smiled as she realised that the perfect body and amazing grey eyes were hers and hers alone. His eyes became brighter as he saw her and most importantly the steaming plate of breakfast. He sat down at the table and started to shovel the food into his mouth.

Once Hermione had finished making her breakfast, she sat down next to him and he looked up at her.

"Wow…I had no idea you could cook like this Herm." She smiled at the new name he had given her. She said thank you and there was silence as they both ate.

"I'm going into Hogwarts today." He told her. "It's strange to think that I'll be going as a teacher instead of a student." Hermione smiled and held his hand noticing how nervous Draco was.

"It'll be fine. Trust me, Luna will be there, she's teaching Divination this year."

"That doesn't really soothe me. Luna was made to teach Divination and she gets on well with Professor Trelawny. I hardly know Slughorn… God I wish Snape was still alive..." he trailed of smiling sadly. Hermione was so happy. She knew she shouldn't be when her Draco was so sad but she just couldn't believe that he was actually sharing his thoughts and feelings with her. She leant over and kissed him to comfort and ease his mind.

The rest of the morning was brilliant. They seemed so natural together and after getting dressed and ready for work they both went out of the flat and went to there separate jobs making plans to eat together at Hermione's flat after Draco gets home.

Instead of focusing on Harry, Hermione found herself writing about Draco and amazingly she realised that she had more memories of him then of Ron or Harry. She could remember his face on their first day, the way he strutted around the school and finally the way he had hesitated when Voldemort invited him to cross to the Death Eaters. She had written about four pages on Draco when she realised that she had gone into overtime. She walked straight home with the intent of starting to get dinner ready for tonight but instead she found Harry Potter sitting in her living room.

"Harry!" she yelped running into his arms. "Wow how are you? How did you get in?"

He smiled his glasses slightly skew-if after the embrace. "Hi Hermione. I'm good thanks and Ginny showed me a picture of the flat so I could apparate here." He laughed and looked around. "I was worried I didn't have the right place!"

"Well you definitely got the right flat. Ah gosh I'm so happy to see you, how's being an auror?"

"Brilliant, just like the old days hunting horcruxes." She smiled as he told her about how him and Ron were already high up in the ranks at head office and that Kingsley was an amazing Minister for Magic. They had a cup of coffee and talked about Ginny and the Weasley's (Ron was subtly left out of the conversation) and Hermione asked about how Ginny and Harry were.

"Oh, we're fantastic in fact, that's kind of why I'm here." He then dug into his pocket and pulled out a red bow in which was the most beautiful sliver ring in the world.

"Oh harry! She will love it I'm so happy for you!" they hugged and he looked at her with a worried look on her face.

"So you think she will say yes?"

"Of course!"

"And do you think it's creepy that I've used my mother's engagement ring?" Hermione's throat became tight with sadness at seeing the hardness in Harry's eyes that was always there whenever he remember his parents. She knew that this was all a front and that Harry's heart tore in two at the thought that his parents wouldn't see him get married but if he needed to pretend that he was fine, she would respect that.

"Harry, she will think of it as an honour." She smiled and they talked of weddings and families until Hermione heard a knock at the door.

Her whole being filled with terror as she realised who it would be. She was frozen in shock as Harry got up and went to open the door. What could she do? Draco would not be welcome especially as she had no way of knowing what he would do when he saw his enemy at the door. Would he lash out?

Time seemed to be in slow motion as harry turned the door knob and the door swung open.

Standing there, with a worried look on his face was Ron Weasley. Hermione could have cried with relief. She was fine, at least for another half an hour. Her heart was pounding so much she couldn't hear the greetings that were being given from Ron.

"Hi Hermione" he raised a hand and she smiled. Then she hugged him tightly to make sure he knew that they were fine.

"Ronald. Why haven't you come round sooner?" he shrugged sheepishly and Harry laughed.

"Hey you didn't say to me!" he remarked faking outrage. They all laughed and fell back into the easy talk they had when they were teenagers. Hermione was on edge all the time that they were in her house. She jumped everytime there was a bang and flinched everytime she heard someone walk up the steps outside her door.

Thankfully no one knocked at the door and Ron and Harry politely said they would leave when Hermione subtly said she was expecting company. They said good bye and Hermione was finally feeling relaxed as Harry opened the door to leave and standing there was Draco with a bunch of roses in his hand.


	3. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Immediately Draco dropped the roses and ran down the stairs. Unfortunately Ron and Harry followed him and after recovering from shock, Hermione did too. She managed to get down the five flights quick enough to see Ron punch Draco in the face and the blonde boy fall to the floor knocked out cold.

"Ronald! What the fuck do you think your doing?" she screamed running at the ginger who was panting and staring at the boy on the floor.

"Hermione what the hell do you think your doing with Malfoy?" he retorted his face turning red.

"What is it to you?" people were starting to gather around the scene and Hermione saw Ron reach for his wand.

"Don't you dare. People are watching you idiot!" she hissed. Harry nodded at Ron and then he went over to Draco who was just waking up. Harry bent to help him up but Draco shrugged him off pulling himself up wincing.

"I don't need your help Potter" then he walked over to Hermione who was shaking with anger. "I'll see you some other time after your friends have gone." He kissed her lightly obviously to annoy Ron who tried to launch himself at Hermione and would have done but Harry got in the way. She smiled at Draco and nodded as he walked into the building.

Then she turned to her best friends. "As for you two," she started walking towards them thunder across her face. "How dare you hurt a person who means a lot to me?" Ron started to protest but Hermione cut him off, "I don't care what happened in the past, Draco has changed and I'm going to stay with him. And I don't expect you to be best buddies with him but I at least expect you to be civil!" she looked at Ron. "Although if he isn't civil back you can't exactly blame him!" and with that she stalked into the building.

"Blimey" whispered Ron to Harry "She sounded exactly like my mother!"

Hermione went into her flat with angry tears running down her face. To her surprise Draco was sitting at the kitchen table with an ice pack held to the purple bruise that was blossoming out of his cheek. She rushed to his side and took the ice pack out of his hands and took over nursing him. She looked at his face and she saw that his eyes were unbelievably sad.

He sighed and pushed her hand away. "Herm, what are we doing? You're Hermione, friends with Harry Potter, the girl who is supposed to be with Weasley. I'm the villain in this story and I definitely don't deserve the heroine." Hermione shook her head and took his hand.

" I cant believe you would say that. You might not have been the best person in the past but I know and you know that you didn't want to be on the bad side. You're the pearl in the rough and now I've uncovered you I'm not gonna let you go." He smiled but as she leant in to kiss him he moved away saying. "But what about Potter and Weasley? I can't expect you to abandon them for me. And they certainly won't be as accepting as you are."

"Oh well they'll get over it if they want to stay my friend." He laughed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I love you Hermione. But I don't think this will work."

"Well can't we at least try?" She pleaded worried that Draco would walk out.

"I don't know. I need to think." He kissed her head and then with a resigned sigh he did what she was afraid of. He walked out.

Hermione walked around the next day like a zombie. She didn't know what had happened. Just yesterday it was bliss. They were together and then it was seemingly over after just 24 hours. She didn't go into work feigning sickness. Instead she wandered round the flat thinking about what she can do. She didn't know what the time was and how much time had passed. She hardly reacted when there was an almighty _crack! _And her red haired friend appeared in the middle of her living room.

"Hermione. What do you think you're doing?" hands on hips Ginny looked incredibly intimidating and Hermione finally understood what it felt like to be on the end of a Weasley rant. "If you've come to lecture me about Malfoy I don't want to hear it." Hermione walked over to the kitchen turning her back to Ginny.

"I did mean Malfoy but not in the way you think. Yesterday I was proposed to by the love of my life. I said yes and was the happiest I had ever been until I heard about my brother assaulting the man who has finally made my best friend happy."

"Thanks Ginny but I think me and Draco are over." She crossed her arms she looked down at her nails fighting back the tears that were rising up.

"Well that's just not good enough." Ginny stated. "You two might not be the most conventional couple in the world but if you think he is for you then he is for you." Ginny walked over to Hermione and hugged her. Hermione smiled.

"And anyway, I need my maid of honour to be happy." Hermione gasped and held Ginny away from her.

"Really?" Hermione burst into tears but from happiness and she gushed "Thank you so much! Ginny I love you! You're like the sister I never had!" They hugged again and after an hour or two of discussing wedding plans Ginny left a happy Hermione who knew what she had to do.


	4. Final Chapter

***Sorry for the terrible chapter four, but I just needed to get to this bit from the punch.* **

Chapter Five

Hermione woke up in one of her favourite places in the world. The sun was shining on the Burrow and the wonky house was full of hustle and bustle as preparations were made for Harry and Ginny's wedding. Hermione was sleeping next to the blushing bride to be who was sitting up in bed almost rocking from nerves.

"You okay Ginny?" Hermione inquired sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Yeah… yeah I'm fine. Hermy, I'm getting married today!" she beamed at her maid of honour and all the colour returned to her face. Like a child she leapt out of bed and flung open the windows. She then gasped and quickly shit them. "Oh no! Harry's out there! He can't see me its bad luck!" laughing she ran to Hermione and grabbed both of her hands pulling her up.

"Come on! We've got to get ready!"

"Ginny," Hermione sighed, "Its eight o clock. The wedding doesn't start until one, we've got loads of time."

"No we don't! I've got to get my hair done, then my makeup, then get the dress on, then you have to get ready and we have to sort out Ronald who probably won't even be awake, and then we have to do all this without Harry seeing me!"

Hermione laughed at her friends worry and got up. she stretched and looked out the window. She had enough to worry about on her own. Draco would be here any minute and the boys still had no idea he was coming. The three hadn't seen each other since Ron punched Draco and, although she and Draco had worked everything out, she wasn't sure the boys would be so easy.

Finally, Ginny stopped listing all the things needed to be done and had shut up long enough for Hermione to do her makeup. Then Fleur was called in to do hair for them both and finally the dress was put on. Ginny's wedding dress was simple but stunning. It was a strapless, white dress which poofed out under the stomach. Unless you were extremely close you would not see the tiny diamonds imbedded into the skirt but the dress maker ensure them that once the lights were on the dress would sparkle "as though you were a star in the sky". Hermione wasn't sure about that but she did know that Ginny looked absolutely stunning. Her hair was tied up into a simple up do that reminded Hermione of her hair at the Yule-Ball. Her red hair was complemented by the simple pink makeup that enhanced her natural beauty.

Mrs Weasley was crying as she took photos of the bridesmaids Fleur, Hermione and Luna. The bridesmaids were in light blue dresses that spread out beneath them elegantly. They all had their hair down and Luna would have looked perfectly normal until you noticed her carrot earrings that Mrs Weasley wanted off. But overall they looked beautiful and after even more pictures, it was time for the wedding to start.

The whole garden was decorated in daisies that had been enchanted so that they had blue petals and white in the middle. Harry was in a dark blue suit and Hermione laughed when she noticed that he and Ron were wearing their Gryffindor ties. Apparently Molly had noticed to as she gave Ron her signature look of death. Hermione spotted Draco in the crowd and her heart did a flip. He was wearing a black suit with a skinny black tie and braces that were red. His normally ruffled blonde hair was teased into a quiff and his grey eyes smouldered at Hermione as he gave her a wink and a grin. She moved her attention to the ceremony that was being taken by Hagrid who was crying as he told the audience about the first time he met Harry.

By the end of the ceremony all the adults were crying and Hermione even thought she saw Ron wipe away a tear as the two most important people in his life became man and wife. Ginny turned to Hermione after the happy couple had kissed and gave her a watery smile.

The reception was held in the garden also and a dance floor was set up under a tent which had heating as the November chill hung in the air. Hermione almost ran to Draco once photos were finished and she showed how much she had missed him by giving an almost too enthusiastic kiss which got a few grunts from the oldest adults.

"Good evening Granger." He said and Hermione laughed to see his old sneer creep onto his face.

"Evening Malfoy." She laughed and kissed him again. He laughed with her but then abruptly pushed her away looking over his shoulder. Ron and Harry were standing behind them and Hermione's heart thumped with fear of what would happen.

"Malfoy…" Harry stated nodding, "Thanks for coming." And with a smile he shook Draco's hand. Hermione and Draco started at the Boy Who Lived and Hermione sighed with relief as Draco offered. "Congrats on the whole marriage thing."

"Thanks. I'm quite proud of it." They both chuckled awkwardly and Draco took Hermione's hand. Ron immediately coughed.

"Weasley… uh Ron, I can't hold my girlfriend's hand? Really?"

"No nope it's fine just no snogging." Hermione snorted with laughter and harry joined in.

The rest of the reception went by in laughter and alcohol. Over the night Hermione and Draco managed to catch up well enough and the Slytherin and the two Gryffindors even had a laugh instead of just awkward conversation.

At the end of the evening the two lovers apparated into Hermione's apartment and sat down on the sofa.

"I'm so proud of you Draco." Hermione remarked.

"Why?"

"Because you've come so far from being the prejudiced boy at school. You're now a dependant, accepting man who I love."

"I love you too. You do realise that I've only changed for you?"

"What?"

"If it wasn't for you I would still be that immature boy. You've changed me. The day I met you, you made me realise I needed to do everything in my power to be with you. Anything you didn't like I tried to change. You are my inspiration to live like a human being. You are my life. Hermione Granger, who holds the key to my heart."

Hermione was crying as Draco bent down on one knee in front of her and held out a black box which held the prettiest ring she had ever seen.

"So Granger, my love, will you be my wife?" at once Hermione screamed "Yes!" and leapt into his arms.


End file.
